Handmade gifts always feel a little extra special, particularly when they feature custom woodwork. Knowing that someone spent the hours to create something lovingly by hand, likely from an original design, is always a heartwarming feeling.

Here are just a few examples of some simple gift ideas that feature custom woodwork:

Toy trains: Children love to play with toy trains, and handmade wooden train sets aren’t just great toys—they’re also heirlooms that can last for generations. Skilled woodworkers can add some very intricate designs and joinery, but even simply carved trains have a certain sort of elegance and sentimentality to them.

Boxes: There are all kinds of different custom wooden boxes you can create using different types of joinery and wood. You can create boxes for jewelry, for recipe cards, for pencils and pens, for cigars or for just about anything you can imagine. The kind of woods and stains you use can also create very different visual effects.

Wine racks: For people who regularly enjoy a good bottle of wine with dinner, custom-made wooden wine racks can be a great gift. These racks can either be freestanding or built into other features of a person’s home. Having wine racks helps you to age your wine by letting the bottles sit at the correct angle, so this is an especially important feature for wine enthusiasts to have.

Cutting boards: Cutting boards are highly practical, and can also come in some very gorgeous and intricate designs, especially when using multiple types of wood. Just about everyone has use for a cutting board, and it’s also a great way to use up some scrap wood you have lying around your home. You can easily build several of them at the same time, making them great gifts for you to make for the entire family.

Step stool: Step stools are a great gift for people with children. These stools can be used near sinks, countertops and cabinets that are just out of reach. They can even be painted with some primary colors that make them stand out to young children who would be using them. Step stools are also simple beginner projects, so if you’re new to woodworking, this may be a great place to start.

Birdhouses: Another great project for a beginner, a birdhouse is a great gift for anyone who cherishes time spent outdoors and enjoys watching birds on their property. There are many different styles of birdhouses, and you can customize them based on the recipient’s interests or the way in which they’ll likely use the birdhouse.

Cribbage boards: Custom wooden cribbage boards can be found at craft and woodworking fairs around the country. If you know someone who loves cribbage, a custom board could be a great gift for them.

For more information and ideas for gifts that feature custom woodwork, we encourage you to contact Jackson Woodworks today and we’ll be happy to share more tips and suggestions. We specialize in creating one-of-a-kind items, including jewelry boxes, bookshelves, cookbook stands, clocks, cutting boards and more!